Stamping with Karen

Valentine Easel Card

It may be past Valentine's Day, but really you could use this card for other special occasions, like an engagement or wedding....or just extra-special card.  It is called an Easel Card because while it folds flat like any card, it can be propped up as if it were on an easel for display.  And what a great idea to be able to display your handmade card!

 

It's easy to make this card.......just make a regular card front...this one is 

5 1/2" x 4 1/4".  For the base, make it twice as long as the card front (in this case 11"" and the same width (in this case 4 1/4").  Fold that base in half (at 

5 1/2") and then fold one of those halves in half (in this case 2 3/4").  Then you adhere the card front to the front of that 2 3/4" portion.....you'll see when you fold it!  Decorate the base, putting a little something popped up that can act as a stopper for your card front.  And there you go!

Some Supplies on this card:

The beautiful Bride Specialty Paper #115669

Sending Love Specialty Paper #117153.....comes glittery!

Extra Large Two-Step Bird Punch #117191

Full Heart Punch #113693

Word Window Punch #105090 and Modern Label Punch #116630

Beautiful White Satin Ribbon #114616

New Pinking Hearts Border Punch #117649

New Sale-A-Bration Scallop Trim Border Punch #118402 (free with a $50 order!)

Please contact me if you have any questions about making this card and visit my online store if you want to order the stamping supplies!

  

Happy Valentine's Day! A "My Digital Studio" Valentine for You!

Last night I decided to play around with My Digital Studio to see what I could come up with for a Valentine.  This is a VERY SIMPLE card, took only minutes to do.  I was even able to email it so that the pages of the card would turn....at least I hope it is working for those I sent it to!  But I don't know how to do that in this blog post!

 

All Images © Stampin’ Up! 1990-2010

My Digital Studio (#118108) is the new papercrafting software from Stampin' Up!  You can create cards, scrapbook pages, calendars.....any kind of digital projects.....and it isn't too hard to do!  This card was exceptionally easy.  Good for a quick project late at night!  Not only are endless options included with the software, but Stampin' Up! periodically comes out with new downloads you can add to your program.  If you already have another digital program, you can still purchase just the downloads you like from Stampin' Up!

Let me know if you want more information about My Digital Studio and you can also read more about it on the My Digital Studio page on my website.

   

Easy Valentine Candy Treat Bag

 

This was a very easy little Valentine treat bag to make and you can fancy it up as little or as much as you want!  I went back to an older technique of using an envelope!  Take a Stampin' Up! envelope (#107301) (once you use a Stampin' Up! envelope you won't want to go back to those plain ones!!), seal it, then punch down the sides with the Tag Punch (#105934) to form the handle. Wheel the envelope (or stamp) to decorate.  I used the I "Love" Love Jumbo Wheel (#117084) in the Occasions Mini.  I decorated with some ribbon, a punched out heart and a little border with the new Scallop Trim Border Punch (#118402) in the Sale-A-Bration Mini (get the punch FREE with a $50 order!)  Fill with some candy and you've got yourself a nice little Valentine treat! 

If you're ready to place your $50 or more Sale-a-Bration order and get some free products, just email me!

"I Heart Hearts" Valentine Treat Bag

Splitcoaststampers puts out a tutorial every week and this treat bag cover was from last week.  It's very easy and you could vary the dimensions according to whatever your own treat is.  I cut the Real Red card stock at 3 3/8" x 10 1/2" and scored at 4", 4 1/2", 5", and 9".  Then just accordion-fold what will be the base of the treat holder and fold the top flap over.  Fill your cello bag with your treat, attach with a little SNAIL to the inside, punch some holes for some ribbon to tie through if you want, decorate the front and you are done!

 

To decorate the front of my Treat Bag I used the I "Heart" Hearts Stamp Set in the Occasions Mini Catalog.  If you want to know you are doing some good while you are stamping, purchase this stamp set and Stampin' Up! will donate $2.00 to the American Red Cross for Haitian Relief. Already 6694 stamp sets have been sold as of a couple days ago.

Valentine Pencil Bug

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of stamping with a troop of ten Girl Scouts, ages 7-8 and this was one of the projects we did!  I'd seen these around on the internet and thought they were so cute!  The one I first saw was made by another demo, Janet Wakeland.  

These Valentine Pencil Bugs/Caterpillar?? are so easy to make!  Just take a 12" strip of card stock or designer paper, score at 1/2" at the beginning and end, and every inch in between.  You will them punch a hole in the center of each inch space along the strip.  Now no hole punch I had was big enough to fit a pencil through so I punched several times to make the holes larger.  The strip looked pretty messy when I got finished, but once you shove the pencil through, the messy punches don't show!  Perhaps the new Small Heart Punch would work, but the hearts would be sideways unless you could accordion-fold and then punch two layers at a time.  I can't FIND my heart punch at the moment so I can't try it to be sure!  After punching the the holes, accordion-fold on all the score lines and insert the pencil (or you could use a Pixie Stix!)  To make the head, just punch a 1 3/8" circle and make a face however you like....you could use wiggly eyes.  The antennae were made from various swirls from the Tulipe Die for the Big Shot.  Just adhere the head to the 1/2" section at one end of the paper strip.

 

 

Red Mini Milk Carton

Here's the first mini milk carton I made.  So cute for Valentine's Day in red or any time!  You can add any kind of decorations to them that you like!  I used the beautiful Sending Love Specialty Designer Series Paper, the Butterfly Punch, some flower stems from the Pretties Kit for its antennae and a Library Clip to hold the box closed.  Check out the Mini Milk Carton Die (#117310) in the Occasions Mini Catalog!

 

Valentine Mini Milk Carton

Valentine colors are red and pink, but sometimes it is nice to change it up a little.  I love this Mini Milk Carton Die for the Big Shot (#117310) that is available in the new Occasions Mini Catalog on page 23.  The milk carton is made with Almost Amethyst card stock.  The medallion is a stamp from the set Love You Much (#113756) and punched out with the Scallop Circle Punch (#109043).  The center is stamped twice on Whisper White card stock, the center punched with the 1" Circle Punch and then the little heart colored in and cut out with a scissors.  After mounting the medallion on the side with Dimensionals, run a ribbon around the carton and tie a knot on the side.  Very easy!  Close the top with a Library Clip or maybe a brad so it can be opened by the gift recipient.  You can also open the top like a real milk carton!

 

 
 

Sweetheart Treat Cups

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Stampin' Up! is offering these Heart Treat Cups to use on your Valentine and other projects along with the Full Heart Punch....and they both coordinate with the Sweetheart Stamp Set.  You can choose the Sweetheart Stamp Set in either wood-mount or clear-mount!

Full Heart Punch

113693 $15.95

IB&C page 186

Heart Treat Cups* (12)

120435 $2.95

Sweet Treat

Padded Envelopes (3)

116911 $2.95

Occasions Mini page 21

 

Contact me with any questions or to place your order!

Lots of fun projects to make with these products!!

 

Glittered Fifth Avenue Floral

Today I came across the Valentine card my husband gave me and remembered that I always wanted to use it as inspiration for a stamped card.  Here is the Valentine:

 

Everyone lately has been playing with this gorgeous stamp set, Fifth Avenue Floral, and the coordinating Textured Impressions Die for the Big Shot.  Although it isn't how I originally thought I would "copy" the valentine card, this is what I came up with:

 

I think it was the "glitteriness" of the sequins on the card that made me think about using the new "Fine Supernova Stampin' Glitter" on page 180 of the Idea Book & Catalog.  I first embossed with the "Manhattan Flower Textured Impressions Die" on page 202 (which is pretty enough by itself on any paper!) and then used the "2-Way Glue Pen" to trace all the lines of the embossed flowers (okay, that takes a little patience and you can't do it perfectly, but you can do it!)  I sprinkled on the Pink Supernova Glitter, shook it off, and then went back in to touch up a few missed spots.  This glitter is very fine, so it is a little difficult to get it completely off your paper where you don't want it.  I found a small watercolor brush to work pretty well.  As you can see, there are still some specks of glitter.  But I think after awhile it will probably drop off.  The sentiment is from "Great Friend" in the Occasions Mini.

Here is the inside of the card since the card base is Basic Black:

 

I just stamped the flower with Pink Passion ink.

The "Manhattan Flower" die was not available until March in the new Idea Book & Catalog, so you may have overlooked it.  You will really want to put it on your next order because it is a beauty!

Fun Lingerie for a Rainy Saturday

You're probably wondering what that title could possibly mean!  Just sharing a card I made by request for someone who had seen my previous bra and panty card HERE.  These were popular on Splitcoast about a year ago, at least that is where I first saw them.  Just cut out the template on the fold of your card base, then use the template again to make the "fabric" however you want.  On this card I embossed stamping from "Doodle This" which makes it look like lace on the red cardstock.  This time we have the Eyelet Border punch which I used to make the lace on the top of the bra and some black grosgrain ribbon for the straps.  I used one of the "Fleurettes", the new crocheted-look flowers, and a Rhinestone brad from the Pretties Kit.  You could also easily use one of the Pretties flowers for your decoration.

 

And for the backside:  Again, embossing for the lacy-look, some black grosgrain ribbon, and a little heart "tattoo"!

 

Have fun with this project!  Lots of different ways to "style" this one!